EV minivan
Do you think there will ever come a time when someone makes a hybrid plug-in electric minivan? We need all those seatbelts for kids, and we prefer the easy entry, but we also want a plug-in for those millions of short trips to soccer, dance lessons and school.
The time has already arrived. The Chrysler Pacifica will give 30 to 33 miles gas free before kicking over to gas powered.
The Pacifica Hybrid gets the equivalent of 84 miles per gallon. Literature about the Pacifica states with a full charge and a full tank of gas you can go up to 570 miles.
You see a lot of the new stuff carmakers come up with. What’s the most interesting or useful non-technology-oriented feature you know about?
I’m not a pickup truck driver, but the thing I’ve seen recently that I find most customer friendly is this: an in-bed “trunk” at the rear of the bed of the Honda Ridgeline. You flip up the back section of the floor of the bed and, voila. You can securely store tools and gear without having to buy one of the storage boxes that take up bed space. This trunk is 7.3 cubic feet and holds the spare as well.
Our daughter has been pressing for two years for a Nissan Rogue as a college graduation gift in December. Now she wants what’s apparently a new variety of the same car, something called the Rogue Sport. What do you know about this car?
New this year, the Rogue Sport compact crossover is spunkier looking than the Rogue (which was essentially designed to be a family car).
The Sport has a sleeker-looking front end, slimmer headlights and is a foot shorter than the Rogue. It comes in some great younger-audience-enticing colors like nitro lime, mocha almond and monarch orange (all of which are interesting and not over the top).
And, here’s the best thing: the base price is about $2,500 less than the one in which she was originally interested. It starts at $21,420, but you’ll probably want her to have a bunch of the leadingedge technology options, and that will bump up the price.
What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email Sharon@ctwfeatures.com.
Some tasty rides
Who says that cupcakes have to be round? Certainly not Nordic Ware of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Among its many bakeware products is this whimsical Sweet Rides Classic Car cupcake pan. The cast-aluminum pan features eight distinctive molds of different vehicles. You might be hard-pressed to pick out the make and model of each shape, but if you stare at the pan long enough you could spot a 1955 Chevrolet Nomad wagon, Model T Ford, 1960 Cadillac Eldorado convertible and what appears to be a 1950s-era Dodge or Ford pickup. You’ll have fun trying to figure out the rest, but decorating and eating the cupcakes made using the Classic Car pan is likely the most fun of all. The pan sells for $42.50 from: www.nordicware.com/store.
Gearhead fashion for suits
You are what you wear, as the saying goes. If you’re a car lover, you can display your passion with ties and scarves from Cyberop-tix TieLab. The company produces a variety of neckties and bowties that cover a variety of interests, including automotive. For example, this gearshift motif lets everyone know you’re into manual transmissions. Other tie styles depict racetrack layouts, racing stripes, vintage auto brands and auto parts, etc. Prices vary depending on the product and material; for example gearshift ties sell for $36 for the micro-fiber version and up to $56 for those made from fair-trade silk. You can also add a wood gift box for an additional $10. Check out all of the designs and order at www.cyberoptix.com.